The World Music Day was celebrated by BASA

The World Music Day was celebrated by BASA

On the occasion of the World Music Day - October 1, 2017, in the chamber hall "Bulgaria", Sofia, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and Arts (BASA) held a National Scientific and Practical Conference dedicated to the contemporary state of Bulgarian musical art. The conference was held under the auspices of the Vice President of the Republic of Bulgaria Mrs. Iliana Yotova.

She sent a congratulatory address in which she pointed out that Bulgarian music is part of the global musical phenomenon, expressing our national pride and preserving our musical identity. She believes that music helps the spiritual growth of the personality and creates moral values - so necessary for the Bulgarian youth.The purpose of the discussion initiated by the director of the Creative Center "Music and Dance" of BASA Academician Prof. Emil Yanev, together with the Media and Public Communications Science Center, was to start a wide public discussion on the contemporary musical environment in Bulgaria.The Secretary General of BASA Academician Assoc. Prof. Margarita Kamenova gave the floor to the Chairman of BASA academician Prof. Grigor Velev to open the conference. In his extensive speech Academician Velev noted that Bulgaria was the first on the Balkan Peninsula to have established opera theaters and made a historical review of the development of the Bulgarian musical life and culture from the Liberation to the present day.Academician Yanev presented a comprehensive report on the current state of music art in Bulgaria. He pointed out that culture is not a superstructure, but the highest manifestation of human spirituality, it makes a multirateral contribution to the development of the statehood. He studied culture and subculture issues, professional and amateur beginnings, fundamental and applied musical art, the need to strengthen intercultural dialogue on the basis of significant European practices and the great musical wealth of Bulgaria. He acknowledged the important role of the school and the media in realizing the national cultural policy, as well as the great public value of the Community Centers (Chitalishta), which in some places perform the role of municipal cultural institutes. He pointed out the necessity to create a national museum "Bulgarian Musical Glory".Academician Prof. Lilia Raicheva in her report pointed out that a large part of the sound environment is formed by the media whose production is accessible at any time and everywhere and people are both consumers and producers. The role of civil society structures is important in order to achieve the effect of a more cultural sounding musical environment.Mrs. Svetla Hristova addressed problems in education because of insufficient student activities with music due to reduced workload and suggested to create classes with advanced music study.Numerous representatives of the media and civil society structures participated in lively discussions.Academic Prof. Petko Todorov noted that culture is politics and it is necessary the budget to spend more on culture.Participation in the conference took Mrs. Rosita Elenova, a member of the Council for Electronic Media.Academician Prof. Stoyan Karaivanov also pointed out that in order to have music there must be education that is done by educated and trained teachers.The participants in the conference were applauding the successive virtuoso performances of three young musicians from the Sofia Music School aged between 13 and 18 years.The conference was covered by Bulgarian National Television and Bulgarian National Radio.